Pump valve



I N 1943. L. H. GUSTAFSON 2,335,245

PUMP VALVE Filed July 14, 1942 Patented Nov. 30, 1943 PUMP VALVE Lewis H. Gustafson, Northampton, Mass, as-

signor to Pro-phy-lac-tic Brush Company, Northampton, Mass, a corporation of Delaware Application July 14, 1942 ;Serial No. 450,835

4 Claims. (01. 277-61) My invention relates to pump valves for inflatable life rafts carried by military aircraft. Such pumps compris a compression chamber formed by a tubular body closed at its base and top and having a piston which is reciprocable by a manually operable rod extending through the top. Valve means is provided for controlling the flow of air into and out of the compression chamber. Although the pump must meet exacting specifications, its weight is important and must be as little as possible. For these reasons it has been established practice to form its body of aluminum. Because of the present great demand for aluminum in the manufacture of war materials, it is important to replace aluminum by som other material wherever possible. It has been proposed to construct a pump of this character by making its body of a plastic material instead of aluminum but in such constructions considerable diiliculty has been experienced with the base connection and valve structure. I

My present invention provides a pump valve structure of the general character described abov in which the body is formed of a plastic material, such as polystyrene. The fitting for the Valve which controls the flow of air from the compression chamber also is formed of a plastic material, such as polystyrene. These and other features of the invention are so constructed and arranged as to provide a pump which meets required specifications and is lighter in weight than a pump of the same capacity of aluminum construction.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a pump embodying the invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional views taken respectively on the lines 2 2 and 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the pump parts; and 4 Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken upon the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

A pump embodying the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawing comprises a tubular body ll] of plastic material, such as polystyrene. One end of the tube I0 is threaded to receive an internally threaded substantially cupshaped base closure ll of plastic material, the end of the tube l0 abutting the inner surface of the base closure to provide an air-tight seal therebetween. The other end of the tube I0 is closed by a cap ll. of plastic material which integral tubular bearing sleevel4.

,is secured thereto by screws [3. The cap I2 is provided with a central opening aligned with an The cap l2 also is provided with suitable vent openings I5.

The base closure H is provided with an axially offset boss I6 projecting from its outer surface. The boss I5 is provided with a threaded passage I! to receive a flexible tube l8 adapted to be connected to an inflatable life raft. The inner surface of the base closure II is provided with a threaded recess l9 opposite the boss l5 and providing a. shoulder 20 adjacent th inner end of the passage ll. The closure II also is provided with an axially ofiset vent opening 2i substantially diametrically opposed with respect to the recess l9 and passage ll. The outer surface of the closure I l is provided with a reenforcing rib 25 disposed between the boss l6 and the vent opening 2!. Aligned rib 2! disposed in parallel spaced relation to the rib 25 intersect the boss l6. Ears 28 and 29 connect the outer ends of the rib 25 with the outer ends of the ribs 21, respectively. A suitable fixture 30 holding the pump during operation extends between and is secured to the ears 28 and 29.

The vent opening 2| is controlled by a flap valve 35 of suitable flexible material, such as rubber, which is secured to the inner surface of the closure ll by screws 36, a plate 31 being interposed between th heads of the screws 36 and the valve 35. The flow of air through the passage ll is controlled by a Valve carried by a valve fitting 38 of substantially inverted cupshape formed of injection molded plastic material, such as polystyrene. The fitting 38 comprises a spoked disc-like portion 39 providing air passages 40 and an integral externally threaded cylindrical portion 4| adapted to be received in the threaded recess IS with its lip 42 abutting the shoulder 20 to provide an air-tight connection therebetween. The air passages 40 are controlled by a disc valve 43 having a rubber surface or layer 44 adapted to engage the disc 39. The disc valve 43 is carried by a valve stem 45 extending through and slidably engaging a central passage in the disc 39. The disc valve 43 normally is held in its closed position by a spring 46 surrounding the valve stem 45 with one end engaging the disc 39 and its other end engaging a shoulder 41 formed on the outer end of the stem 45.

A cup-shaped piston 58 of leather or other suitable material is interposed between discs 5| and 52 and is secured to the end of a piston rod, such as a tube 53, by a headed rod 54 which projects into the tube 53 and is secured thereto by a pin 55. The other end of the tube 53 projects into and slidably engages the guide sleeve I4. A T-shaped operating handle 51 projects into the upper end of the tube 53 and is secured therein by a pin 58. A spring 60 surrounds the tube 53 to cushion the piston at the upper end of its stroke.

To operate the pump, the operator grips the fixture 30 either with his hand or by inserting his foot therein and the piston is reciprocatedmanually by pulling and pushing upon the handle 51.

As the piston is moved upwardly away from the Y base closure H, suction is created which opens the flap valve 35 and permits air to enter through the vent opening 2! to relieve suction. During the upward stroke of the piston the disc valve 43 is maintained closed by the spring 46'. As the piston is moved downwardly toward the baseclosure H, the air within the tubular body forming the compression chamber is compressed to close the flap valve 35 and open the disc valve 43 thereby permitting the compressed air to be forced through the passage l1 and tube i8 into the inflatable life raft.

I claim:

1. In a pump having a tubular body forming a compression chamber, a base closure of plastic material for one end of said body having an axially ofi'set vent opening therethrough, an axially offset boss projecting from the outer surface of said closure and having a threaded passage communicating with a threaded recess in the inner surface of said boss and providing a shoulder adjacent the inner end of said passage,

an inverted cup shaped valve fitting of plastic material threaded in said recess with its lip engaging said shoulder, said fitting having a. valve controlled air passage, and a valve of flexible sheet material secured at one end upon the inner surface of said closure and adapted to extend over said vent opening to open and close the axially ofiset vent opening therethrough, an axially offset boss projecting from the outer surface of said closure and having a threaded passage communicating with a threaded recess in the inner surface of said boss and providing a shoulder adjacent the inner end of said passage, an inverted cup shaped valve fitting of plastic material threaded in said recess with its lip engaging said shoulder, said fitting having a valve controlled air passage, and a valve of flexible sheet material secured at one end upon the inner surface of said closure and adapted to extend over said vent opening to open and close the same, said base closure having spaced reinforcing ribs on its outer surface one of which intersects said boss and the other extends between said boss and said vent opening.

3. In a pump having a tubular body of plastic material forming a compression chamber, a base closure of plastic material for said body having a vent opening therethrough, said base having a threaded passage communicating with a threaded recess in the inner face of the base providing a shoulder adjacent the inner end of said passage, an inverted cup shaped valve fitting of plastic material threaded in said recess with its lip engaging said shoulder, said fitting having an air passage, a spring pressed disc valve within said fitting adapted to close said air passage, and a valve of flexible sheet material secured at one end upon the inner surface of said base closure and adapted to extend over said vent opening to open and close the same.

4. In a pump having a tubular body forming a compression chamber, a base closure of plastic material for one end of said body having an axially offset vent opening therethrough, said base closure having an axially offset threaded passage communicating with a threaded recess in the inner face of the closure and providing a shoulder adjacent the inner end of said passage, an inverted cup-shaped valve fitting of plastic material threaded in said recess with its lip engaging said shoulder, said fitting having a valve controlled air passage, and a valve of flexible sheet material secured at one end upon the inner surface of said closure and adapted to extend over said vent opening to open and close the same.

LEWIS GUSTAFSON. 

